Jerry sent me a new pool design drawing. And Paul and I like the new design because it accomplishes the following:

1. It’s more natural-looking: It’s based on a standard for pool design called “the lagoon,” composed of three overlapping circles. Although the design is not that different from what Jerry drew before, I think the shape is more balanced.

2. It’s not a large pool — and, as readers have pointed out, that’s a good thing when it comes to heating and maintenance — but it does allow for games (like my favorite, pool volleyball) and even lap swimming, since there’s a 24-foot straight line from left to right. I’ve been in some free-form pools where it was not actually possible to swim, because you kept running into a wall.

3. The pool has a bit of a deep end — if you consider five and a half feet to be deep — but most of it is shallow enough for nonswimmers and kids to enjoy the water.

4. I like the steps and ledges. Most people will enter the pool on the right-hand side (near the lanai), but there’s also a step near the deep end and one at the back of the pool, near a new feature, the waterfall.

5. The original design had a raised hot tub at the back, with a waterfall cascading into the pool. Even though we eliminated the hot tub, I wanted to keep the waterfall, because it will provide both a visual focal point and the wonderful sound of falling water. But I’m not sure I understand what Jerry proposes with his description of a “sheer decent waterfall.” I need to talk to him about how he thinks it’s going to work, and maybe get a photo of what he means.

While I was wandering around the Internet, I came across a company called RicoRock that makes cast-concrete waterfalls that looks like natural rock. Maybe we could go in that direction? I have to talk to Jerry.

We also have to discuss pricing. On Sunday, Jerry sent us another estimate, indicating that we saved $6,000 by eliminating the hot tub, but are now spending $1,200 for the waterfall and $450 for another underwater pool light (which Jerry thinks we need because of the shape of the pool.) That’s fine, as long as the waterfall is worth the cost.

Jerry’s asking for a 25 percent deposit, and declaring that he’s ready to start in a few days. We need to resolve our last couple of issues, so that the pool construction can proceed.

That’s a good pool, Allison. Our pool is only 6 feet at the deepest point, in the middle. There’s no real reason to go any deeper than that. Might be a bit different in FLA, but here in Vegas we just jump in for a few minutes to cool off while working and/or lounging outside. We do our laps when it cools off, ’round midnight.

Just wondering whether the children have signed off on the lack of a hot tub. Considering all the expense that was made of their bedrooms and bathrooms. And this is where they’ll actually spend most of their “awake time” while at the house. And for $6,000, you get an awful lot of curb appeal come resale time.

So did you decide to make it a heated pool? If so, how will it be heated? Hopefully, you decided to go solar.

FYI, I recently discovered the PATH (partnership for advancing housing technology) concept house built this past year in Omaha. The website is //www.pathnet.org/sp.asp?id=24487 This is a great project sponsored in part by HUD on building affording homes using efficient, flexible and sustainable methods. There’s a lot more useful and innovative things on their site than in this blog, in my opinion. Hopefully, the NY Times would consider doing a series on the next concept house to be built in Charleston. I think a lot of the regular readers of this blog would find that very interesting.

I would forget about the waterfall. With the continuing drought – water restrictions – higher water prices – etc. – I think it’s both a waste of money and water.

I am not clear where the fence will go vis-a-vis the pool – or the rectangle drawn around it. If it’s on the edge of the rectangle that’s been drawn – it probably won’t meet code – and it would be almost impossible to clean/use the pool.

If it were my pool – I’d go for a more regular shape – and use as much of that 30 feet as possible (or more if it’s available) so people can swim. Also so it would be easier to cover (and conserve heat) in the winter.

Trudy and Joanie,
I have wall mounted faucets for my bathroom sinks (kitchen ones on 8 inch centres but quite generically nice ones). There is no splashing and most importantly no need to scrub around the bottom of the faucets with a tooth brush to get the grunge out. I recommend wall mounted faucets highly for that reason. I have wasted time in my life keeping the crud around faucets at bay.

Maybe I am a bit naive, but why spend so much money on making a tropical oasis when you can walk a couple of blocks and be at the real thing? Our neighbors have a very similar pool (and very expensive for our area pool), and it is lovely, but we are hundreds of miles from a beach, and it is definitely not a lap pool, but more of a splashing pool. I’m interested in the drought comment. My sister is in one of the states with a bad drought, and all the fountains and such are turned off. Can you refill a pool in a drought? It would not seem to be something that would be OK.

Hi, Joanie, I think I would eventually put my eye out on that faucet handle :-(

As to the waterfall, that has a lot of appeal. I would be extravagant and go for it, but keep it turned off most of the time to save water and energy. If they had been green about the rest of the house, having the waterfall on maybe half an hour a day, say while they had breakfast or dinner in the lanai, would probably not be too bad.

I still can’t understand why the authors would try to “save” $6000 here on a hot tub, which would likely be the most-used portion of the pool (especially if Ms. Davis and Mr. Brown are serious about filling their house with grandkids). As it’s configured now, kind of a goofy Venn diagram, I doubt the pool will have much utility at all. A simple rectangle with a drop from 3-5 feet deep would probably work better for splashing games and actual, like, swimming than this bathtub.

Also, Robyn’s comments should not be discounted (IMO) re: fresh water conditions. Water is fast becoming the new gold in Florida, especially on barrier islands and the populated South.

“Fountains and other aesthetic-only water features may only operate 8 hours per day.”

So – it seems like you’d need a timer on something like a waterfall. If the drought gets worse – the rule will probably get worse. You can fill pools – but that is something that is done very very rarely.

Does anyone really think P & A are at all concerned about water-conscious measures at all? Their entire house is an exercise in mindless consumption — there is no reason to think the pool will be any different.

And as a regular swimmer … 24 feet is approximately one-third the length of most short-course lap pools. There’s no “swimming laps” along 24 feet of pool. Perhaps P & A can do aqua aerobics in there, but they’re mistaken if they think there will be anything resembling lap swimming going on.

The water district I live in has about 1.1 million people in several counties and municipalities. We were in a severe drought up until this year. We have 4 stages of water restrictions during a drought. Stage 4 is the most restrictive. We were in stage 3. No new pools could be filled. If existing pools were drained they could not be refilled. No ornamental fountains could be used. No water could run-off from landscaping to impervious surfaces. There were lots of other restrictions.

Even during periods of no drought problems, which is the current situation, we have a few mandated water conservation restrictions.

I suggested before that Paul and Alison should install multiple rain barrels or a cistern. Their metal roof is perfect for collecting rain. They can then refill their pool with rain barrel water–drought or no drought.

In the Tampa Bay area the driest months (averaged over 30 years) are April with 1.8 inches and November with 1.62 inches. Collecting rainwater from 500 sq feet of roof area will produce 150 gallons with only .5 inch of rain. This amount of water will go a long way in topping off their pool. Of course if they collect from more areas of their roof, they’ll have much more.

Here’s the math on harvesting rainwater: Gallons = .6 x (Inches of Rain) x (Surface Area in Square Feet). (The .6 is the conversion factor to translate inches of rainfall to gallons. Actually, .62333 is possible, but you won’t collect every drop of rain and some of it evaporates, or is blown off the roof, so .6 is a good estimate and easier on your brain.)

In my opinion, every homeowner can save a significant amount of our precious potable water by harvesting rainwater. The Southwest Florida Water Management District (www.swfwmd.state.fl.us) has imposed one-day-a-week water watering plan and fountains can run for only 8hours/day. In a severe drought all watering could be halted. All the more reason not to install and maintain a lawn and do all you can to create and maintain a drought-tolerant landscape.

Seriously, I only put up the link to that faucet to illustrate what a waterfall faucet looked like and why it would not splash in a vessel sink. There are lots of other choices with more conventional handles.

I have had a pool and would never have another one, especially with the Gulf only 332 steps away, as Paul noted in one of his first posts! Pools are too much work– and I would especially not want to have to think or worry about it if I were a thousand miles away.

That being said, isn’t it silly to save $6,000 by not putting in a hot tub when they have spent $30,000 on that near-useless roof deck? Which, by the way, adds no visual “balance” to the front stairs…or to anything else.

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They've found an idyllic tiny town in Florida, they've bought a piece of land and now Paul B. Brown and Alison Davis are setting out to build their dream house. How hard can it be, they wonder, even though they live 1,500 miles away, they've never built a home before and they don't know anything about architects, builders, local zoning laws or financing? On this blog for Great Homes, they recount their successes and failures and will chronicle their adventures to come.